How are Magic bands making people stay on site rather then off site? The reason people chose to stay off site is to save money. When I go for two weeks, we stay one week in a resorts at about $4500. The 2nd week we stay in a 4 br private pool home for $650. As long as tickets are purchased in advance, both off site and resort guests are allowed to make fast pass reservations, so again, how are bands convincing people to spend 4 times as much money to stay in a resort?
Bob Iger, May 7, 2013:
"We have for years had in place products that are available only to hotel guests. And actually, one thing that I think Jay alluded to, didn't say specifically, is the MyMagic+ will definitely encourage people to stay more on-property than off-property. Jay was talking about essentially by being able to plan ahead, people will basically have more plans with us, and that will in effect discourage them from doing other things. I think it will also encourage them to stay more in our hotels."
And again on February 5, 2014:
"One of the, I think, most attractive features [of MyMagic+] and one that I think will have possibly the biggest benefit is the FastPass+, which is the ability to reserve 3 times on 3 attractions per day, either before you visited the park if you are a resort guest, or the day you enter the park if you are a same day or a single day ticket holder."
Iger is referring to the ability to pre-book FP+ selections for onsite guests vs. only day-of for offsite guests.
Essentially, onsite guests get preferential access to the best FP+ selections.
Offsite guests will have to go through a song-and-dance similar to FP. Namely, show up for rope drop and immediately head to FP+ kiosks. However, unlike FP, there will be thousands of offsite guests (and presumably AP holders) that already have booked the best FP+ selections. Offsite guests will get what hasn't already been picked over by onsite guests.
And let's not forget that onsite guests can change their FP+ selections via smart phone. Offsite guests need to get back into the FP+ kiosk lines in order to do so.